It has been proposed to use fluorinated poly(arylene ethers) for electronic applications, such as insulators or passivation layers in multilayer integrated circuit devices or multichip modules. Mercer, WO 91/09070 (1991); Mercer et al., WO 91/16369 (1991). Their advantages include chemical inertness, low dielectric constant, insensitivity to ambient humidity, and ease of coating over a substrate.
Fluorinated poly(arylene ethers) may be crosslinked to improve solvent resistance and/or help preserve mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. Bis-triazene crosslinking agents whose triazene groups decompose upon heating and form reactive crosslinking centers have been used. Lau et al., WO 91/09087 (1991); Mercer et al., WO 91/09081 (1991) and WO 91/09071 (1991). It has also been proposed to use oligomers which are crosslinkable via reactive terminal groups. Mercer et al., WO 91/16370 (1991). The crosslinking of fluorinated poly(arylene ethers) with triazenic oxadiazole compounds is disclosed in Mercer et al., application Ser. No. 07/943370, filed even date herewith.
We have discovered new compounds which are effective crosslinking agents for fluorinated poly(arylene ethers).